Brian Ashcraft

Hatsune Miku proved that virtual idols could be big business. There are Miku video games, live concerts, and endless merchandising. So it shouldn't come as a complete surprise that Fuji TV is rolling out its own virtual idol, a "digital announcer" named Lune Anri.

Female announcers on Japanese TV don't just read the news or host television shows. They are very popular, with many of them reaching idol status and becoming popular with male admirers with their adult, feminine appeal. Lune Anri seems to be an effort to capitalize on that, as well as to make the nerd leap with a virtual idol. Or something.

But Hatsune Miku is slick. The tech that brings her to life is slick. Her character design is slick.

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Today at a press conference, the 22 year-old Lune introduced herself as Fuji TV's latest announcer hire. She's be appearing in a new program called Nippon no Mini as well as popping up in other programs.

Anri was designed by manga artist Tatsuya Egawa, and the reaction to her online hasn't exactly been kind with people saying she looks like a PlayStation 1 character and asking what the hell was wrong with her arms.

"This really churns my stomach," wrote one commenter on popular game site Ore Teki. "Let's just pretend this never happened," quipped another.